


another one bites the dust

by itaruchi



Category: A3! (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Gen, Halloween Prompts, Light Angst, M/M, Other, Pretend death, Zombie Apocalypse, a gender neutral reader, and as always, idk if that counts for archive warnings tho, or is it....
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-09
Updated: 2020-10-09
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:47:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26903854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itaruchi/pseuds/itaruchi
Summary: in which tenma will do anything to ensure his performance is impeccable.
Relationships: Sumeragi Tenma/Reader
Kudos: 17





	another one bites the dust

**Author's Note:**

> this is my first time trying something semi ~spooky~ but honestly,,, i've just been playing too many zombie games recently.  
> (last of us series, anyone? /cri)
> 
> warning for "gun" use, and "death" ahead.

Racing through the cobbled streets of Veludo Way, you slowed down to peek over your shoulder. Once was to ensure Tenma had caught up with you, and then an extra glance to see if anyone, no, _anything_ , had followed you. The coast is clear.

You stop to double over, resting your palms against your knees. God, you felt exhausted already.

“How can one person be so unfit?” He calls out to you in that annoying, smug tone he usually reserves for when he’s bragging about how great an actor he is. You know, without even looking up at him, that he has that smirk on his face to match. 

“Sorry, _some_ of us don't have time to work out every day because we have _real_ jobs, Mister Actor!” You straighten up, making a face at him. Then it dropped as you remember the situation you were in. Dropping your voice to a whisper to continue, “Well… _Had_. Y’know, before the... outbreak.” 

He opens his mouth to say something, to make a joke, but changes his mind. His hand raised to run through his hair, as his eyes shift around, constantly on alert. You can’t afford to let your guard down. Not anymore. 

Your gaze drops to his sleeve, bloodied and ripped open, and your eyes widen. “T- Tenma…” You croak. “Your… your _arm_.” 

His eyes travel down, and his face paled. He yelps, shaking his arm wildly as if the bite mark present on his skin was a bug he could scare off by moving around. 

“HOLY MOTHERF-” He shrieks like a banshee, and you could feel people’s eyes on you now. "It—IT _BIT_ ME!"

You cross the distance in two steps, plastering your hand over his mouth. _When_ ? When did it happen? Was it your fault? No, _of course_ it was. You couldn't protect him when it mattered most. Even though your brain was running riot, you still had to try and remain calm for him. Try to figure out a new plan whilst your mind was ripping yourself to shreds for allowing him to get hurt. 

“Shh.” You hiss. “Are you trying to get us _killed_?” 

His eyes were teary, and he slowly shook his head. You removed your hand from his mouth, instead grabbing his arm to examine the bitemark. 

“That was… Was from back then, wasn’t it? When we lost Kazu?” He nods, and you bite down your lip. “That was only a few hours ago, and it already looks this bad…” 

You know what this means. You know what you have to do. 

You both know. 

There was a silence. You grip his arm tighter and at the same time he attempts to yank his arm out of your grasp. He stumbles two steps back before he loses his balance. Flailing backwards and hitting the cobblestones. You let go before he fell, pulling the gun out of your waistband and taking cautious steps away from him. You don't know when he could turn, but it could be from any moment now.

There's only one thing you can do now, that you can't protect him.

There’s a crowd surrounding you now, watching, waiting to see what you’ll do. You point the gun down at him. Aimed between his eyes, it'd be a mercy kill. He told you before that he didn't want to turn. 

His eyes, wide with frozen terror, stare up at you. 

He breathes your name, and in seeing the hesitation on your face, he scrambles up into a kneeling position. “No… please. You can’t… You can’t do this.” 

Your lip quivers. Your hand is shaking. Tears are gathering, but the resolve forms in your eyes. This is what you promised him, after all.

“I’m sorry.” You said firmly. Your finger shifts and pulls the trigger.

\--- 

Applause floods your senses, and the adrenaline that kept you going all this time escaped you. You slump over as you offer a hand to Tenma. He gladly takes it, and you pull him upright so you can both bow. 

You watch as the candy fills your bags, whilst people clamour at Tenma for an autograph. You had forgotten how fun acting was, and also, how exhausting it was

You two managed to leave a short while later, although it took a while to pry some fans off of Tenma. For now, you were happy to be heading home to the MANKAI dorm to compare your spoils to the other teams. 

“God, I never want to do a street act again!” You exclaim, stretching out your tired limbs. “Even though I was the one acting, it felt way too real!"

“I told ya we’d make a great team! Well, anyone would make a great team with me considering I’m-"

“Yeah, yeah, a great actor, I get it.” You roll your eyes.

He playfully bumps his shoulder against yours, grinning. “Glad to hear you admit it!”

You pause, watching his ‘injured’ arm swings freely as he walks down the street.

“Hey, Tenma?” He hums in response. A small smile hadn't left his face since the act had finished. It was clear he was happy by the result from the street act. You lace your fingers through his. “How did you make that bite mark on your arm?” 

He falters. “I- I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He awkwardly laughs, a blush staining his cheeks. For someone who calls himself a great actor, he’s a terrible liar. 

“We didn’t have any SFX makeup to make a bite mark… So how did you make it? It looks so realistic.” You raise your joined hands, tenderly brushing against the mark with your free hand.

His blush spread to the tips of his ears and he looked away in an attempt to appear nonchalant. 

No, not only did it look real, but it also had… _texture_? Then it dawned on you, and you squeezed his hand to get his attention.

“…Did you _bite_ yourself?” You ask incredulously. 

“Who knows?” was his simple answer, and you watch in amazement as he shook your hand away from his to wander away. “Hm… Wonder what’s for dinner today! Probably curry… As always...” 

Never have you met someone _so_ extra, _so_ committed to the part that he’d bite himself to make the act appear more realistic.

God, what an idiot. You wryly smile as you set off after him. But you were glad he was _your_ idiot.


End file.
